It’s the month for beer, flowers and race cars

TORONTO, CANADA

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch at TIFF 2013. Photo: 123Rf

Why: Toronto International Film Festival 2014When: Thursday, 4 September – Sunday, 14 September, 2014 With more than 300 movies from 60+ countries, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is well worth an impulsive dash across the Atlantic. The Hollywood line-up this year includes Black and White (Kevin Costner), Foxcatcher (Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo and Steve Carell) and The Judge (Robert Downey Jr.). From Canada are films like Elephant Song and An Eye for Beauty, and the Indian entry is Mary Kom. Naturally, there’s plenty of star-gazing to be done: expected to walk the red carpet this year are Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Dustin Hoffman, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Franco, Tina Fey, Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr.Make it happen: Click here for tickets and more information.

SINGAPORE

Marina Bay Street Circuit with Singapore Flyer. Photo: 123Rf

Why: 2014 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand PrixWhen: Friday, 19 September – Sunday, 21 September, 2014 F1 fans, how can you miss out on the only night-race on the Formula 1 calendar? Tight corners and zippy straights around the Marina Bay Street Circuit mean plenty of action. This year, there’s even more drama on offer as teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are locked in a street-style, no-holds-barred fight for the championship. Thankfully, the rest of Singapore will be more jovial, and there’s a range of parties lined up. Bookmark our list of 50 best eats in Singapore before you land up.Make it happen: Get your tickets from here.

LADAKH, JAMMU & KASHMIR, INDIA

Ladakh, with Pangong Tso. Photo: 123Rf

Why: Ladakh FestivalWhen: Saturday, 20 September – Friday, 26 September, 2014 Now is as good a time as any to make that long-deferred trip to Ladakh. The Ladakh Festival brings out the best of local culture. Expect music and dance performances, archery competitions, polo matches, and a grand Ladakhi parade. Shopaholics will find plenty of local handicraft on offer. Make the trip now, or wait another year.Make it happen: Check out thisitinerary, which also includes adventures such as rafting on River Zanskar and a drive to Khardung La pass. Did we mention that you no longer need an inner-line permit to visit Ladakh?

MUNICH, GERMANY

A beer tent at Oktoberfest in Munich. Photo: 123Rf

Why: OktoberfestWhen: Saturday, 20 September – Sunday, 5 October, 2014 Let’s get it straight: beer lovers worth their hops must make it to the Oktoberfest at least once in their lifetime. This is where more than six million people from across the world congregate every year and chug as many litres of Bavarian ‘March beer’. While the brew will always be the hero—with the pretzel playing the sidekick—Oktoberfest is also about song, dance and fairground rides. No glass here measures less than a litre, so be prepared to tank up.Make it happen: The official Munich website has more details and tips.

KAAS PLATEAU, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Flowers in bloom on the Kaas Plateau. Photo: ephotocorp / Alamy

Why: Wildflower blooming seasonWhen: Through the month Maharashtra’s own Valley of Flowers sits in the Western Ghats near Satara. The otherwise barren plateau blooms with colour in September, when millions of wildflowers carpet the ground. Expect to see more than 450 species of flowers, including orchids and carnivorous plants such as Drosera Indica. Stop by the Kaas lake for a picnic before you return, or head to Mahabaleshwar for the weekend.Make it happen: Kaas Plateau is a six-hour drive from Mumbai and a three-hour-drive from Pune.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Istanbul, with the Sultan Ahmet Mosque. Photo: 123Rf

Why: ArtInternational IstanbulWhen: Friday, 26 September – Sunday, 28 September, 2014 Art lovers may want to make the seven-hour trip to Istanbul later this month, when 80 top galleries across the world will present the best of modern and contemporary art. Some of the more renowned participants include Galerie Martine Aboucaya (Paris), Circle Culture Gallery (Berlin) and Assar Art Gallery (Tehran). This year, there’s considerable buzz around local Turkish art, which will be presented by galleries such as Dirimart, Sanatorium and Rampa.Make it happen: The art fair will be held at the Haliç Congress Centre. For tickets and details, head here.

More ideas

Keralafor Onam: Head to Thiruvananthapuram for a week-long celebration that includes dance, music, folk art, and of course, lip-smacking Kerala cuisine (5 September-11 September). On 10 September, catch the snake-boat race in Aranmula, an hour from Alappuzha.

Marseilles, France, for Fête du Vent: Feast your eyes on the colourful sky at the Festival of the Wind (19-21 September), where teams from France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland fly kites on Prado beach. There are also workshops and wind gardens to enjoy.

Phuket, Thailand, for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival: This is a celebration of spiritual cleansing, with devotees participating in gruesome but enthralling rituals, such as walking on burning coals or piercing their cheeks with swords and spears (23 September – 3 October).

Vadodara, Gujarat, for Navratri: Witness the chaos of the festive celebrations in Gujarat’s cultural capital. Get yourself a traditional outfit—chaniya choli for women and kedia dhoti for men—and dance the garba and dandiya (25 September – 3 October).